By the Rev. Thomas M. Boles PhD., DMin., D.D.

One night during the Civil War, a stranger arrived at Henry Ward Beecher’s home. Mrs. Beecher answered the knock at the door and found a tall and gangly stranger, muffled to the eyes, asking to see the great preacher privately. He refused to give his name.

Because her husband’s life had been threatened recently, Mrs. Beecher declined to receive him into their home and sent him away into the night. She returned upstairs and told her husband about the stranger at the door and what she had done.

Beecher, who never seemed to know fear, descended at once and hurried after the man.

He invited him back to his house and brought him inside, where he conversed with him privately for some time. Later, when Beecher rejoined his wife, he told her what he had done. He also revealed that the muffled stranger had been none other than Abraham Lincoln, the President of the United States.

He, too, was in a crisis and feeling threatened by evil. He came requesting prayer.

While we are never asked to openly defy natural law or to show disregard for life, the Lord does ask us to take risks, in showing His love and sharing the gospel with those in need.

Love without courage is ineffective, but love with courage can change the world.

Consider the turtle. He makes progress only when he sticks his neck out.

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”

“Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

Matthew 4:12-23